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Daniela Schwarzer, a prominent German political scientist and expert in international affairs, has been appointed as the new President of the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa), Germany’s leading institution for international cultural exchange. She will assume the honorary position on 3 June 2025, succeeding historian and publicist Ulrich Raulff, who has held the role since 2018.   Schwarzer currently serves as …

The number of married people continues to fall in Germany. According to a new report by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), by the end of 2023, approximately 35 million individuals aged 18 and over were married, accounting for just over 50% of the adult population. This marks a significant decrease from 1993, when about 39.3 million adults, or 60% of …

Funke Akindele has solidified her place as a cultural icon and an unstoppable force in Nollywood, a reference to the Nigerian film industry, one of the largest and most prolific in the world. The 47-year-old actor, producer and director rose to prominence through the sitcom I Need to Know (1998–2002). However, it was her creation of the character Jenifa in …

The term “biodeutsch,” loosely meaning “organically German,” has been selected as Germany’s ‘Unword of the Year’ for 2024. This designation (Das Unwort des Jahres in German)  highlights words or expressions that promote discrimination, undermine human dignity or mislead public discourse. The term was criticized for its use in dividing individuals based on perceived biological heritage, fostering everyday racism, and creating …

  The Forum der Kulturen Stuttgart e.V., in collaboration with four (post-)migrant organizations from Stuttgart, has published a multilingual children’s book titled “Stuttgart, das sind wir! Eine Reise um die Welt” (Stuttgart, that is us! A Journey Around the World). The book will be officially launched at a public event on 21 February at the Stuttgart City Library. The book …

In early December 2024, Ghana made headlines across the globe as John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won the presidential election, defeating the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia. This marks the fourth time since the nation’s return to multiparty democracy in 1992 that an opposition candidate has successfully unseated a ruling party, …

Egbe Isokan Omo Yoruba Germany e.V. (EIOYG), the umbrella body of all Yoruba associations in Germany, is set to hold its National Congress and Omoluwabi Award Gala Night in Koblenz on Saturday, 23 November 2024. The event promises a vibrant celebration of Yoruba culture and values, bringing together community members and distinguished guests from across Germany and beyond. The Yoruba …

Many in Togo still romanticize the German colonial era. Could this be because it ended earlier than the British and French periods? A monument to German-Togolese friendship still exists and portraits of German colonial governors still adorn school buildings. And every year in November, on Remembrance Day, Germans who died in Togo are remembered and honoured. There are seven German …

The young actors and actresses of the Cactus Junges Theater from the federal state of North Rhine-Westfalia (NRW) and the Tete Adehyemma Dance Theatre & Youth Home Cultural Group from Ghana were very busy this summer. In Tamale, in the north of Ghana, they spent the month of August rehearsing a new play entitled QUESTIONS. The new piece is a …

ANNOUNCEMENT An informative online session discussing the transition from tolerated stay (Duldung) to a secure legal right of residence in Germany will be held on Wednesday, 2 October 2024. Topics to be covered at the virtual event, titled “From Tolerated Stay to Right of Residence in Germany,” include the legal frameworks governing tolerated stay, options for regularizing one’s status and …

Berlin hosted a significant event on Saturday 21 September aimed at fostering unity and collaboration between African diplomatic missions and the organized African communities in Germany. Organized by the African Ambassadors Group, the event, christened ‘Celebration of Africa Day with the Diaspora 2024’, saw the participation of diplomats from African embassies in Germany alongside representatives of various African associations in …

Kenyan-born social entrepreneur and advocate for African girls, women and families in Germany, Virginia Wangare Greiner, is one of the two recipients of the ‘HeroinesAward 2024’ (HeldinnenAward 2024). Awarded by the Alice Schwarzer Foundation, the ‘HeroinesAward’ recognizes women who fight courageously and with dedication to improve the situation of women, whether through their professional work, social engagement or personal commitment. …

Afro-Pop stars to perform at Berlin’s international music festival Pop-Kultur Berlin’s Pop-Kultur Festival, holding from 28-30 August, is set to dazzle attendees with an electrifying lineup of performances, featuring some of Africa’s brightest stars. Among the headliners is Yemi Alade, the Nigerian Afro-pop sensation whose energetic performances have captivated audiences worldwide. Known for her vibrant stage presence, Alade will bring …

Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka turns 90 on 13 July. Femi Awoniyi and Michael Nnaji look at the life of the literary giant as a political and rights activist in the service of humanity. Born Oluwole Akinwande Soyinka on 13 July 1934 in Abeokuta, south-western Nigeria, this truly great man of many parts is often wrongly reduced to the Nobel Prize …

The Africa Centre London has rolled out an elaborate programme to celebrate the life of Wole Soyinka, the first African Nobel laureate in Literature (1986), to mark the Nigerian writer’s 90th birthday. From Friday, July 19 to Saturday, July 27, The Africa Centre will come alive with exhibitions, roundtables, film screenings, live music performances and poetry recitals to celebrate the …

The Association of Yoruba Progressive Community (AYPC) Bayern e.V. is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its founding. The group’s members are from the Yoruba-speaking areas of Nigeria living in the state of Bavaria and they support each other as well as promote their culture in Germany. Events commemorating the milestone commenced on 1 June in the Bavarian city of Munich …

Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, Member of the European Parliament (MEP), condemns discrimination on the basis of religious beliefs as well as anti-Black racism, and calls for decisive action against all forms of hatred. She makes a recommendation on how to tackle Afrophobia more effectively at the European level ——- Discrimination on the basis of religious beliefs has no place in our …

New data has revealed the most ‘TikTokable’ European cities, with Berlin and Hamburg making the top ten.  Using data sourced from Statista, marketing experts at Upbeat Agency analysed the number of views each European city had received on TikTok.  Barcelona is the most popular European city on TikTok, with 106.1 billion views. The cosmopolitan capital of Spain’s most popular tourist …

Plans to eliminate the blinding disease trachoma from 16 African countries have been boosted with $36.5m (about €34.24) in new funding. Twelve of the countries supported through the Accelerate programme, led by the non-profit Sightsavers, hope to eliminate trachoma by 2027 and three will make significant progress towards this goal in that time.  Trachoma begins as a bacterial infection, with symptoms similar …

A recent study conducted by experts at Vignetteswitzerland.com has unveiled the most and least affordable European countries for car ownership.  The research considered factors such as fuel prices, vehicle taxes, and insurance costs, compared to average salaries, to assign each place a unique score to reveal where owning a car is the least financially draining.  The higher the index score …